Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei on Sunday, April 1, urged Police Inspector General (IG) Japhet Koome to send bodyguards to protect Members of County Assemblies (MCAs).
The Kenya Kwanza senator argued that security for leaders was paramount and remarked that the government could afford an extra budget for additional security enforcement.
He explained that Kisa East MCA Stephen Maloba could not have been stabbed to death on Saturday, April 1, if he had bodyguards from the state.
“MCAs in the country are only 2,500, they should be given bodyguards.
“If Maloba had bodyguards, they would have swung into action and prevented chaos to ensue and we would not have witnessed such a tragedy,” he explained the need for bodyguards.
Cherargei further revealed that there were tensions in wards necessitating the protection of MCAs.
“During by-elections, there will be chaotic scenes and even organising the exercise will be a challenge for Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
“The country is in heightened political tensions and the MCAs will not be able to travel to their wards to campaign for their preferred candidates for fear of their lives,” Cherargei stated.
On Thursday, March 23, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, while speaking to Norway’s Ambassador to Kenya Gunnar Andreas Holm, announced that IEBC was mandated to conduct by-elections within 90 days after two elections were annulled.
Currently, elected leaders who receive police protection are; the Presidency, governors and their deputies, senators and members of parliament.
The President and his deputy have at least 200 and 45 security guards respectively while governors have their number of bodyguards capped at 5.
All MPs are entitled to at least one police bodyguard each and two each for their homes upcountry or in the city.
